


What Rhys Sees

by nemo_baker



Series: What They See [5]
Category: Torchwood
Genre: Cute, Episode: s02e09 Something Borrowed, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Prompt Fic, Series
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-07-19
Updated: 2015-07-19
Packaged: 2018-04-10 01:18:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 606
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4371620
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nemo_baker/pseuds/nemo_baker
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>the prompt from <a href="http://jo02.livejournal.com/">jo02</a>:  I have a fondness for fic where Jack and Ianto are being observed - by accident - by one of the other characters (hopefully Gwen) and learns something positive and new about their relationship. Something nice but not mushy or sentimental.</p>
            </blockquote>





	What Rhys Sees

**Author's Note:**

> Rhys was another character that people suggested, so here he is! I also really love the Gwen/Rhys pairing, so I wanted to write them a bit too.

He watched Gwen dance with Jack.

Of course, despite what most people seemed to think, he was not an idiot. He’d already known that his fiancé (now, wife) had some conflicting feelings about the exaggerated action hero known as Captain Jack Harkness. When he’d been dragged into the world of Torchwood a few months back, he’d noticed a few things. The way they fought, mainly. Grasping for each other’s approval and yet unwilling to yield to each other’s standards. It was a complicated dance between two iron-willed people. And yes, there was a layer of attraction that had worried him at first.

But in the end, Rhys believed that the two simply had a deep friendship. Gwen always came home to him when the work was done. She loved him, and she’d married him. God, she’d actually _married_ him. While they were still covered in alien goo, in front of their traumatized families.

Really, watching Gwen and Jack dance only confirmed his belief. Their movements were… awkward. They weren’t stepping on each other’s toes, or falling out of step. But they seemed stilted, as if neither of them knew what to do if there wasn’t an alien threat between them. They moved across the floor like strangers.

When Ianto finally walked up to them, looking hesitant but determined, Gwen walked away looking almost relieved. Rhys greeted her with a smile and a kiss on the cheek. She sat down beside him and began to chat with her mother, while his gaze flitted to Ianto and Jack.

Ianto had hidden his face against Jack’s shoulder, and Rhys nearly chuckled at the fact that a six-foot tall man could appear so timid. Jack seemed to be staring at the far wall, a melancholy grin on his lip.

He’d never seen them _together_ before. Not like this. Gwen had told him that they were involved, but that was all. He knew almost nothing of Ianto, besides his few well placed one-liners and tendency to roll his eyes in the face of danger.

And then there was Jack.

He didn’t seem like someone who could stay still long enough to hold people close. To let them into his life and make themselves important within it. No matter how welcoming, or how flirtatious he could be, there was a sort of distance. A wall that never lowered.

And yet…

Rhys saw Ianto murmur something, and watched as Jack’s face transformed. The wistfulness in his expression melted away, and he laughed. He pulled back slightly in order to look at Ianto as he answered. His eyes were alight, and the upward curve of his mouth was much more pronounced. The satisfied smile Ianto gave in return told Rhys that this had been the intent of his words.

The pair continued to talk as they danced. Any tension they’d had at the beginning of the song was gone, and they swayed gracefully with the rhythm of the tune. And the next one. The ease with which they moved together made him wonder if they’d done this before. It was as if they could predict each other’s steps before their feet fell. They started getting a few stares (mostly from some of the more... conservative relatives), but didn’t seem to notice.

He snorted at the appalled expression on one of the uncle’s faces, and turned back toward Gwen.

“Care to dance again, Mrs. Williams?”

She beamed.

“I would, Mr. Williams.” She nudged his arm playfully. “Or maybe we should go with Mr. Cooper?”

He kissed the mischief from her lips, and thought about how much he was looking forward to being a married man. 


End file.
